A variety of devices have been proposed for providing such edge notches; however, they have tended to be rather complex due to the need to precisely synchronize punch and die elements moving on separately moving or rotating linkages or elements. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,242,785 granted to Schieven discloses a web notcher in which a die is rotated so that the die part and its ends move on circular paths in a plane perpendicular to the plane of movement of the web. A punch included in the same linkage engages the web and the die to form the desired notch. U.S. Pat. No. 3,411,390 granted to Maynard discloses a web notching device in which the web moves between rollers to be notched. As one of these rollers turns, cutter wheels mounted on its end surfaces are rotated by a pair of adjacent stationary ring cams; so that, the cutters pass through the web and die to form the desire notches. U.S. Pat. No. 4,072,076 granted to Miles discloses a punching apparatus in which punches on the periphery of a wheel engage spaced cutting dies on the periphery of an adjacent wheel to form notches in the moving web. The plane of rotation of the dies and punches is perpendicular to that of the web. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,115,000 and 4,115,001 granted to Mischo disclose a web marking or punching apparatus in which punches are mounted on a disk which rotates in a plane perpendicular to the web; so that, the punches engage the web and a stationary die at the desired locations.
While these types of prior art edge notching apparatus have achieved a certain measure of success, a need has continued to exist for a simpler edge notching apparatus not requiring the use of relatively rotating punch and die elements.